Water motor



Jan. 28, 1930. G. H. MERRICK WATER MOTOR Filed April 20, 1927 ililm' ($1 1 27? 4' Patented Jan. 28, 1930 PATENT OFFICE A GEORGE MERRICK, OF ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MISSOURI WATER MOTOR Application filed April 20,

This invention relates to an improvement in water motors and has for its primary ob-, ject the purpose of providing a motor which can be operated in naturally flowing streams or rivers. 7

Another object of the invention is in'providing an improved water motor with buoyant supporting means so that'the motor and supporting means therefor can float in the stream or river.

A further object of the invention is in pro viding an improved water motor having pontoons or buckets which will be traveled longitudinally down stream for a given distance by the water current before they are returned up stream to again engage the water current.

Other andfurther objects will appear in the specification and be specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, exem plifying the invention, and in which Figure 1 is a longitudinal section taken through this improved water motor.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse section taken approximately on the line IIII of Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a perspectiveview of one of the propelling paddles.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan View of the forward end of the supporting pontoons of the motor.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings 1 designates a floating deck made from a pair of spaced apart paralleling pontoons 2, said pontoons being held in their spaced apart paralleling positions by the transverse cross members 3 thereby providing a channel orwaterway 4* between the pontoons.

Mounted on each pontoon 2 adjacent their forward ends is a bearing 4, said bearings being. in alinement and supported by said bearings is a horizontally disposed shaft 5. Secured to the shaft 5 between the bearings 4 are a pair of guiding wheels 6 each having a flange 7 formed on-its periphery on one side of the tread thereof.

Mounted on each. of the pontoons 2 adjacent their rear ends are a pair of alining bearings 8 and horizontally supported in 1927. Serial No. 185,333.

said bearings is a shaft 9 for the support of a pair ofguiding wheels 10 which are rigidly secured thereto between the bearings, each of said wheelshaving a flange 11 formedon one side of the tread thereof.

The pairs of wheels 6 and 10 depend within the channel 4 and the wheels on each shaft are spaced equal distances apart and as the rods 13 are passed for securing the paddles between the belts.

-Mounted on each pontoon intermediate of thebearings 8 and 4 is a bearing 16 for the supportof a horizontally disposed shaft 17 said shaft being located beneath the upper belt stretch 18, and rigidly secured to said shaft are a pair of sprockets 19, each of which is in mesh with a respective chain belt 12.

v When a motor of this improved character is in support in the river or stream upon the pair of pontoons 2, the water course or channel with respect to the paddles 14 will be through the waterway or channel 4 formed between the pontoons and the paddles 14 will 'be propelled in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 thereby moving the chain belts 12 and causing them to travel over respective pairs of wheels 6 and 10 and as the belts 12'are traveled the sprockets 19 in mesh with said belts will be turned thereby revolving the shaft 17 which may extend to the shore from where power may be derived from the shaft or the shaft may terminate in the deck 1 and be'used tooperate a generator.

For holding each paddle 14 in vertical position as they are traveled down stream, each paddle'is provided with a brace 20 which will bear against the underside of the lower chain stretch 21 and when the paddles reach the return wheels 10 they will be carried up wardly and in which the brace of each paddle will leave engagement with the belts 12 as each paddle swings on its respective rod 13 and when each paddle reaches a position on top of the return wheels 10, the paddles themselves will lay on the upper chain belt stretch 18. This manner of permitting the paddles to swing as they travel upwardly around the wheels 10 holds the paddles in approximate vertical position as they are lifted from the stream, the paddles therefore not lifting any water from the stream.

The paddles 14 after traveling the belt stretch 18 and reaching the wheels 6, will be caused to turn over when they each reach approximate positions indicated at A in Fig. 1 and will assume vertically inclining positions as they enter the Water, and in consequence the paddles will cut the water as they enter.

The flanges 7 and 11 of respective wheels 6 and 10 serve as guiding means to the chain belts 12.

In the use of a motor of this improved water motor in which the paddles 14 are permitted to travel a considerable distance down stream by the force of the current thereagainst, it is obvious therefore that greater power will be derived from the stream or river current and if desired the supporting shafts 5 and 9 can be disposed farther apart so that more paddles can be engaged on the chain length and consequently a more powerful motor can be provided.

This improved motor can be placed in cooperation with a waterfall by omitting the floating deck and providing standards for supporting the shafts 5 and 9 in positions wherein the shaft 5 can be arranged above the shaft 9 so that the device can be inclined or vertically disposed so that the pushing paddles 14 can be engaged in the waterfall.

The device can also be used in a small stream by omitting the floating deck and mounting the standards for supporting the bearings of the shafts 5 and 9 from the banks of the streams.

It is to be noted that the brace work 20 of each paddle is provided with an elongated opening 2:2, each being for the purpose of preventing the brace work of each paddle to travel against the wind in which the air currents will pass through the apertures 22 and the paddles therefore will prevent less resistance through the air currents when a breeze is blowing down stream.

An improved water motor of this character can be entirely submerged in the river if desired as the paddles 14 will otter a greater resistance to the water during their travel down the stream with the water than they will when they travel up the stream on the upper stretches or chain lengths 18 of the chain belts 12 for the reason that the paddles on their return up stream are projected horizontally against the current.

What I claim is:

1. A Water motor comprising two sets of flanged revoluble members, endless belts mounted over said members having a series of spaced paddles swingingly secured thereto, said paddles being maintained on said members by the flanges thereof and adapted to be engaged in a body of flowing water as they are travelled in one direction, and an open brace structure secured to each paddle extending the approximate length thereof, said brace structures by their cooperation with said paddles adapted to maintain said paddles in an approximate vertical position during their travel through the water.

2. A water motor comprising a pair of spaced revoluble members, endless belts mounted over said members having a series of spaced paddles swingingly secured thereto, said paddles adapted to be engaged in a body of flowing water as they are travelled in one direction, and a rectangular open brace structure forming a part of each paddle adapted to cooperate with said belts to maintain said paddles in a working position during their travel through the water.

GEORGE H. MERRICK. 

